Dee Snider has released his fifth full-length album, Leave A Scar, via Napalm Records. He recently spoke to UK-based Kerrang! about the record and looked back on his foramtive years and the early days of Twisted Sister. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

K: Your new solo album is really heavy, even for a metal maniac like yourself…

Snider: "Well, Jamey Jasta (producer and Hatebreed frontman) challenged me a number of years ago to do a metal record. I said to him, ​‘Look at I am a true fan of metal. I am the guy who had the first Sabbath album, the first Zeppelin album, the first Blue Cheer and Grand Funk albums when they came out.’ I’m old! But I just didn’t think there was a spot for me in the community, you know? And Jamey said, 'No, there’s a place and I know where it is.' And he helped me find my spot. I’ve never used the same producers two records in a row before (like with Jamey). It’s fucking exciting, man."

K: Before you (Twisted Sister) got signed you were invited to the UK to open for Motörhead. That must have been a confidence boost, right?

Snider: "That was like a mercy gig. Our management had become friends with Motörhead's management, and they put us on the bill – we didn’t even have an album out yet. And if you look at the bill, we were like fifth down. But somehow, with someone cancelling and a couple of billing shifts, we were special guests, going on right before Motörhead at a football stadium gig. And this is '82, so there’s no Mötley Crüe or Poison yet. Anvil got canned off the stage at Reading because Lips [Anvil singer/guitarist] had fishnet sleeves on and was playing guitar with a dildo. People freaked! And at our show, we had to go on in the daytime, so it was a pretty terrifying experience that turned out to be one of those flash points in our career. And I owe that all to Lemmy, who intervened. He knew how they were gonna react to us. So he said, 'I'll introduce you’, which was one of the most magnanimous gestures any headliner has ever done – to come out of the dressing room to introduce an unknown band. And that gave us enough of a window to show who we were and what we did. And by the end of that, it was one of the greatest ovations of my life. We had just crossed over and been welcomed by the British crowd. And that was a godsend for us."

K: You’re 66 – does rock and roll keep you young? 

Snider: "I'm a teenager 'til death! But that’s not allowed in my house – I’ve got to be a dad, got to be a husband, got to be a granddad. And I am. But fortunately I can compartmentalise, and focus that enthusiasm and that energy into my creativity. Because when you get older you’ve got to pay the bills and you’ve got to be responsible and all those awful things. So how do you do that and still be filled with with pure joy of music and of metal? You’ve got to learn how to compartmentalise!"

Read the complete interview here.

Snider recerly released a video for the charging heavy metal rallying cry, "Down But Never Out". Check it out below.

Snider says about “Down But Never Out”: "I pride myself on the fact that throughout the decades, my music has always tried to not only push back against all oppressors (in this case Covid-19), but also lift people up and encourage them to fight back. 'Down But Never Out' is a perfect example of this ethos."

To commemorate the release, Snider recently announced a streaming event for his fans, available now. All ticket buyers will gain access to the concert stream, as well as on-demand access to any and all content from the event for a 30-day period.

The concert stream features a very special concert from Snider performing live in New York back on June 12. Tickets for the stream are available here.

Just announced - Dee Snider will also take part in a special in-store appearance and autograph signing at Looney Tunes Record Store in West Babylon, NY on August 17. The event starts at 7 PM and tickets are available here.

Starting tonight at 4 PM, ET/1 PM, PT, Dee will join SiriusXM host Jose Mangin for an interview and takeover on Liquid Metal (channel 40)! Dee talks about working with Jamey Jasta on the album, how the last year and a half made him want to do another metal release, what it was like being a part of Cobra Kai Netflix’s hit TV series, how his family raised money for homeless veterans by winning Celebrity Family Feud, and much more. Dee will be on Liquid Metal every hour Friday-Sunday setting up a new song from Leave A Scar, and every 1-3 hours Monday-Thursday.

Like a scar itself, Leave A Scar is an illuminating plentitude of angst etched in time – serving as a musical refuge and expressive output for Dee. But in turn, this auditory time capsule written to express the anger, unease and pain he experienced during lockdown emerges as not only blisteringly heavy, but relentlessly powerful. Each of the 12 tracks on Leave A Scar not only further bolster Dee Snider’s position as one of the most celebrated frontmen of all time, showcasing that his vocal delivery and commanding swagger is as strong as ever, but that he is nowhere near stopping.

Dee Snider says about Leave A Scar: “By the end of 2020, I knew I not only had to get back into the studio, but for the first time since the '90s, I wanted – no, needed – to be a part of the writing process. I reached out to my producer Jamey Jasta and told him I was ready to make another record. Leave a Scar is filled with messages to and for the silent voices in the world who need someone to speak out on their behalf. This is my purpose.”

Jamey Jasta says regarding working with Dee Snider again: “Getting to work with Dee again has been incredible! The power and range in his vocals on this album really shine. Not only is he an American treasure and staple in the rock/metal community, he’s a truly original voice and talent like no other. Combine that with the metallic prowess of the Bellmore bros + Russell Pzütto and Nick Petrino, you get a rockin’ metal recipe that even the most "Dee-hard" SMF’ers will surely love!”

Leave A Scar is available in North America in the following formats:

- CD Jewel Case
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK
- 1LP Gatefold RED
- 1LP Gatefold GOLD (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 400)
- 1LP Gatefold SPLATTER RED/BLUE/WHITE (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 300)
- Dee-Hard 1LP Gatefold Edition RED/BLACK Marbled - LP size Album Art Patch & Slipmat (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 200)
- Dee-Lux Wooden Box Edition: JC, 7" Single, Leather Wristband, Logo Pin (Napalm Mailorder only – limited to 500)
- Digital Album

Order here.

Tracklisting:

"I Gotta Rock (Again)"
"All Or Nothing More"
"Down But Never Out"
"Before I Go"
"Open Season"
"Silent Battles"
"Crying For Your Life"
"In For The Kill"
"Time To Choose"
"S.H.E."
"The Reckoning"
"Stand"

"Time To Choose" lyric video:

"I Gotta Rock (Again)" video:

Band lineup:

Dee Snider - Vocals
Charlie Bellmore - Guitar & Background Vocals
Nick Bellmore - Drums
Russell Pzütto - Bass & Background Vocals
Nick Petrino - Guitar & Background Vocals

(Photo - Paul McGuire)